Life of a Tree

As a tree admires her beauty by looking into her own reflectionWater flows gently beneath and carries along her mirror imageBirds singing from the canopy come down to see the spectacleA moment in time connects the tree to her own past lifetimeOnce she stood firmly and proud on the banks of the forest creekShe was a home and shelter to many animals who befriended herHer roots went all the way down deep below the water levelThe crown on her head was majestic full of the greenest leavesYears went by as she grew and grew with many seasons passingShe saw humans dramatically change the landscape around herBut the forest was left untouched and remained a peaceful sanctuaryWith her birth ground safe she started giving in to gravityLetting go of her connection to both the air and the ground belowHer the faithful task was to become a bridge between life and death

Had a marvelous week in France.. also enjoyed a few beautiful sunsets..
Being there helped me to really be present and to enjoy the moment.
Let the mind talk, there’s no need to follow all those thoughts
As i relaxed into this mood of being, thoughts vanished by themselves

A friendly person on another website asked me to post a B&W image without the vignette you see on the first image. So i thought it would be fun to show the original image in color too as it shows the difference between the 3. A difference of day and night 🙂

Last year i entered this photo into a local photo contest and to my surprise this photo was one of the three winners. And a few days ago i received a message that the organization behind that contest had entered my photo in yet another contest. So i thanked them and suggested they should share the photo on social media, since the most votes get awarded.

So i thought it would be fun to get some international votes for the photograph too 🙂
I would be very glad if you are willing to vote for this photo in the contest, let’s see if i have a chance. You may have to search for my photo, should be on the first page, but not sure as other entries might be added. You should click on ‘STEM’ (which is Dutch for VOTE)Link to contest

ps. If you don’t want a newsletter, don’t forget to tick off the newsletter when you cast your vote. Or perhaps you want to learn some Dutch, then it’s ok 😛

And in the mean time, enjoy the scenery just as the Germans on the photo and me behind the lens did 🙂

Today i’ve wandered through the forest, seen and heard many birds.. came back home full of experiences and photographs

The interesting thing about all these experiences was that earlier today i was reading a book by Lama Tsongkhapa in which he describes how much we’re attached to our senses.. and indeed, in the forest i was constantly on the watch for sights and sounds. Perhaps that’s the downside for me of taking the camera with me. Or better said, it’s a lesson for me. First relax the mind, eyes and ears and then engage with the forest, connect with it without wanting to grasp at certain experiences (like seeing a kingfisher or a squirrel)

So today ended up being both rewarding in terms of photographs and in applying wisdom..

Ram Dass on self judgment:

I think that part of it is observing oneself more impersonally. I often use this image, which I think I have used already, but let me say it again. That when you go out into the woods and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You appreciate it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.

The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying “You’re too this, or I’m too this.” That judging mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.[..]

I’ve read about this idea in the past and today i was reminded of the story of the trees. Such a wonderful analogy Ram Dass makes here. What if we would be able to just see each other without all these labels and judgements in our minds? Next time you’re ready to judge a person, try remembering him/her as a tree. Perhaps it can help to stop judging and be more open to who’s there in front of you. I’m gonna try this 🙂